Assessment of Argumentative Writing.

When producing an argumentative text, writers have to solve problems that are specific for that type of text. The nature and severity of these problems, i.e., the specific problem area of argumentation in written discourse, can be characterized with the help of concepts from the pragma-dialectical argumentation theory (Van Eemeren & Grootendorst, 1984). It is assumed that during the writing process language users will have to appeal to knowledge and skills corresponding with these concepts in order to overcome problems. In this chapter the role of specific knowledge and skills in writing argumentative texts is indicated. A summary is given of the different stages of writing discursive texts and the specific problems connected with these stages (section 2). On the basis of the results of an assessment study of argumentation skills, it is illustrated to what extent the marked problems occur in secondary school students' writing (section 3). For some of the problems found, writing advice is formulated (section 4). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]